Opposition to the provision of Traveller accommodation in Meath dates back to the early 1980s. Meath County Council is today described by the Irish Traveller Movement as one local authority which pressed ahead with its plans despite local opposition, and succeeded in providing accommodation which could "coexist well with settled housing".
The first group housing scheme for Travellers was built in Navan in 1983. Plans for this met strong opposition from local residents and a case against the council went to the High Court. The council won. There are now six such schemes in the town.
The county's first halting site, in Navan, was mooted in 1989, and again there were numerous objections. The council went ahead regardless and built a serviced site for 14 families. Plans in 1992 for a site at Windtown outside Navan were objected to.
Local residents camped at the entrance to the site in an attempt to stop builders gaining access, until the council took out an injunction against them. A 14-bay halting site was opened in 1998. Another 14-bay site was planned for Trim, about 10 miles from Navan. It, too, met with objections, but opened in 1998.
According to Mr David Joyce, national accommodation officer with the Irish Traveller Movement, the sites are serviced and clean and there is no antagonism from the settled neighbours. "You'd wonder what all the fuss was about."